Personally, I can't dial a phone and ride at the same time. I absolutely would not have got off my bike. Without knowing more about the neighborhood, I can't say what I might have done. But getting to a busier area would've been high on the list.
That said, I had a nearly identical experience years ago - except that it was before dawn, before cell phones, and I was running, so my range and speed were much more limited. I too was terrified. Until I noticed that the van was delivering newspapers.
Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler